Police Advisory Commission Agenda 04-30-1997AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING - MONTICELLO POLICE COMMISSION
Wednesday, Apri130, 1997 - 7 p.m.
Members: David Gerads, Liz DesMarais, Bridget Baldwin, Brian Stumpf, Brad
Fyle
1. Call to order.
2. Approval of minutes of the special meeting held Wednesday, March 5, 1997.
3. Consideration of reviewing posted speed limits, enforcement procedures, and
school zone signage along Broadway (County Road 75).
4. Review of action to date regarding the establishment of a snowmobile route
through the city.
5. Adjournment.
•
•
Minutes
Special Meeting -Police Commission
Wednesday, March 5, 1997 - 7 p.m.
Members Present: Dave Gerads, Liz DeMarais, Brian Stumpf, Bridget Baldwin,
Brad Fyle
Others Present: Wright County Sheriff s Deputy Steve Quill, Monticello
Trailblazers Duane Bistodeau and Dane Hasbrouck
Staff' Present: Roger Mack, Street Superintendent, Wanda Kraemer, DST
1. Ca11 to order.
Chairperson DeMarais called the meeting to order and welcomed newly
appointed member Brad Fyle.
2.
A motion was made by Commissioner Stumpf, seconded by Commissioner
Gerads, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held February 5, 1997.
Motion passed unanimously.
3. ~`Qnsideraton of the snowmobile ordinance amend~nPr~ts_and__r_ecommendati°ns
onenfo~cement nro~dures_~e~arding snowmobile asti__yitie~.
Wright County Sheriffs Deputy Steve Quill, Monticello Trailblazers Duane
Bistodeau and Dane Hasbrouck, and Roger Mack, Street Superintendent, met
with the Commission to discuss and route a snowmobile route through the city
limits.
It was agreed that because of the Highway 25 bridge crossing an established
route needed to be established and signed. The route will be from the Highway
25 Bridge, east on River Street to Ramsey, south on Ramsey to
5th Street, East on 5th Street to Washington Street, East on Washington Street
to 7th Street, East on 7th Street across property owned by St. Henry's Church,
Bondhus, and Dahlheimers to County Road 118, South on County Road 118 to
Chelsea Road, West on Chelsea Road to Oakwood Drive, South on Oakwood
Drive to the State Trail.
There was also a lengthy discussion on using Cedar St., which is one block west
of the Highway 25 bridge, to the railroad right-of--way. This route was favorable
because there is no residential housing along Cedar St. The committee's
concerns were the safety of crossing Broadway one block from Highway 25, cars
• parked along Cedar Street by the Senior Center, and not knowing if the railroad
Rage 1
Special Meeting Police Commission - 03-OS-97
right-of--way could be signed.
Dane Hasbrouck reported that Monticello has been a missing link in the state
signed trail system. When snowmobilers enter the city limits there is no
designated route through town which causes confusion on where they should
ride.
Hasbrouck and Bistodeau install the snowmobile route sign, orange signs with
directional arrows, in the Monticello area. The club will take responsibility to
sign the route and also to have the agreements signed by the private property
owners, St. Henry's, Dahlheimers, & Bondhus. Roger Mack stated the city could
provide signs that would have a map of the route and/or the signs that have
wording. On the west side of town there will be signs directing snowmobiles
from the state trail to the signed route through town. The signs in the City
limits along West County Road 75 will be removed because the trail is only
marked to Prairie Road.
The main topic of the discussion was the portion of the snowmobile route along
River Street. This area is all residential, however, it is the only logical street to
use after crossing the bridge. A recommendation was made that City Council
allocate a portion of the 200 extra patrol hours for River Street at the beginning
of the snowmobile season to monitor the use.
The Commission recommended articles in the fall and winter City newsletter
and in the Times to inform residents and snowmobilers of the route through
town. The Sheriff's office will be working with all of the cities in Wright County
to develop a uniform snowmobile ordinance county-wide. Motion passed
unanimously.
4. rn
A MOTION WAS MADE BY CHAIRPERSON DEMARAIS, SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER FYLE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. Motion passed
unanimously.
Wanda Kraemer
Development Services Technician
•
Page 2
Special Police Commission Agenda - 4/30/97
3.
~2. (R.W.)
The City Council has recently requested that the Police Commission review
the current enforcement procedures and speed limits that apply to East and
West Broadway, especially in the areas of the High School and Pinewood
Elementary. This request was the result of concerns raised by Nena Barker
who lives at 406 East Broadway. Ms. Barker has been invited to attend this
meeting of the commission.
Some of the concerns noted by Ms. Barker related to the current posted speed
limit and the placement of the speed zones near schools. In her opinion, she
felt the speed limit should be lowered before getting close to the school
property and that this should be investigated by the Police Commission.
Presently, County Road 75 generally has a speed limit of 30 mph between the
two schools. With County Road 75 having four lanes of traffic, I think it
• would be very difficult to expect that the speed limit could be lower than
30 mph, In regard to speed limit near the schools, in both cases, the speed
limits are reduced from either 45 mph or 55 mph as you enter the community
to 30 mph before reaching the school properties. If cars are still traveling
faster than the posted speed limits, it may be an issue of stricter enforcement
through patroling efforts rather than the need to lower the speed limits.
Since County Road 75 is a county state aid highway, the City does not have
the authority to simply lower the speed limit or place speed limit signs
wherever we please. The City Council would have to request that the County
Board conduct a speed and traffic study along County Road 75. It would be
likely that the County Board would then request that the Minnesota
Department of Transportation conduct the speed study. MN/DOT would put
our request on a list and would attempt to do the speed study within the next
6-12 months as time allowed. Generally speaking, what MN/DOT does is
conduct a survey of the typical speeds being traveled along the route being
surveyed and usually sets the speed limit at 85% of what the average person
has been traveling. The rationale is that if most traffic is traveling at
50 mph in a certain area, MN/DOT might post the speed limit at 40 mph or
45 mph but would unlikely lower it to 30 mph, as they know most people will
likely be exceeding the speed limit. Generally, most people tend to travel at a
rate of speed they feel is safe for the area, and MN/DOT uses the 85% rule in
their determinations. One danger of requesting that MN/DOT conduct a
speed study along Broadway is that we might find that they feel the speed
Special Police Commission Agenda - 4/30/97
limit should actually be raised since most people now travel above the
35-40 mph rate. MN/DOT could look at Broadway as having two lanes of
traffic in each direction as being safe for increasing the speed limit to 35 mph
or more since most people are likely having difficulty driving at only 30 mph
in the first place. As far as the speed limits in school zones are concerned,
the speed limit is already down to 30 mph at both school areas and, again, it
maybe unlikely that lowering the speed limit would be beneficial. It may
simply be an enforcement issue which we can discuss with the Sheriffs
Department.
1. Commission members could request that the City Council consider
asking the County to conduct a speed survey for County Road 75. This
request could include a recommendation from the County or MN/DOT
as to the placement of the speed limit signs near school zones.
2. The commission could decide that the current speed limits are
appropriate but recommend the Sheriffs Department step up
enforcement procedures along Broadway.
3. Commission members could decide to make no changes at this time.
When realizing that most people will travel at a speed they feel is safe for the
road and conditions, I would find it hard to believe that a traffic study done
by the County or MN/DOT would recommend that the basic speed limit be
lower than 30 mph on the four-lane portion of Broadway. As a result, we
could find that they might even recommend increasing the speed limit by
5 mph since that's what most traffic travels now anyway. As far as the
placement of signs near schools, again both areas do have 30 mph speed
limits, although I believe a municipality has the right to lower the speed
limit by 10-15 mph from the posted limit near a school. To make the public
more aware of the speed limits, it could be that simply requesting more
enforcement of the posted limits might be the answer to get the word out to
the public. Sheriffs Department representatives may have some more
background that they can share with the commission Wednesday night.
None.
.7
. Special Police Commission Agenda - 4/30/97
4.
snowmobile route through the city. (R.W.)
The City Council recently discussed the proposal to establish a snowmobile
trail route through the city of Monticello, mainly to get snowmobilers from
the Highway 25 bridge near the river to a point south of I-94. As you may
recall, the Police Commission had recommended as one of the options to
direct the snowmobilers along West River Street to a point where they could
go south to near the freeway and then east to County Road 11$ to cross I-94.
A second alternative that had been discussed by the commission was using
Cedar Street to get the snowmobilers to the railroad right-of--way and use the
railroad tracks to provide a route to the east to reach County Road 118.
Because of the concerns that the Council had in establishing the route
directly on River Street where residents would likely be opposed to the trail,
the Council had recommended the trail be established along Cedar Street to
utilize as much of the railroad right-of--way as possible. With the railroad
right-of--way being in the back yards of most residential homes, less
disruption would likely occur to the neighborhoods.
The actual Council action was to approve the establishment of a designated
snowmobile route along Cedar Street and along the railroad tracks
contingent upon Burlington Northern Railroad allowing the City to use the
route and with the understanding that the snowmobile association will sign
this route. At this point, I'm not sure whether the railroad tracks can be
used the entire distance between Cedar Street and County Road 11$, as the
railroad tracks are only on the 5th Street right-af--way that the City owns up
to approximately Washington Street, and thereafter we would definitely need
the permission of Burlington Northern if we were going to continue along the
right-of--way. At this paint, no contacts have been made with Burlington
Northern and/or other land owners in the area, and this is simply being
brought up for more discussion if the Police Commission desires. Naturally,
the goal would be to confirm a route and have it properly signed before the
next snowmobile season. 1f you have any thoughts on the subject, we can
discuss them Wednesday night.
•
Council Minutes - 3/24/97
7.
Monticello.
Councilmernber Brian Stumpf reported that the Police Commission had
recently discussed establishing a designated snowmobile route through
Monticello. During discussions with the commission and the Monticello Trail
Blazers Snowmobile Club, the Wright County Sheriffs Department indicated
it was their intention to establish snowmobile routes through each
community in Wright County and also establish a uniform county-wide
snowmobile ordinance_
Stumpf explained that the Police Commission narrowed the route choices to
two alternatives. The first alternative would direct snowmobiles from the
Highway 25 bridge east on River Street to a paint where they could go south
approaching the freeway and then east to County Road 1 ].8 to cross I-94.
The second alternative would direct snowmobiles from the Highway 25
. bridge to Cedar Street and then east along the 5th Street railroad right-of-
way. Concerns were expressed by the snowmobile club members that
crossing Broadway on Cedar Street maybe more hazardous because of its
proximity to Highway 25; however, it was also noted that establishing River
Street as a designated snowmobile route would likely be controversial from
residents living on River Street.
City Administrator Rick Wolfsteller noted that, unless the City interfered
with train traffic, it was unlikely that the railroad would oppose use of the
tracks for a snowmobile route since the right-of--way was actually owned by
the City.
AFTER DISCUSSION, A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRUCE THIELEN AND
SECONDED BY CLINT HERBST TO APPROVE ESTABLISHING A DESIGNATED
SNOWMOBILE ROUTE ALONG CEDAR STREET AND ALONG THE RAILROAD
TRACKS CONTINGENT UPON BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD
ALLOWING THE CITY TO USE THE ROUTE AIVD WITH THE UNDERSTANDIlVG
THAT THE SNOWMOBILE ASSOCL4TION WILL SIGN THE ROUTE. Motion
carried unanimously.
•
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